Mennonite World Review - September 2018
Obituaries are emailed to MennObits before MWR is printed. Wording may vary in printed version.
Mennonite World Review - September 10, 2018 - 96th Year, No. 19 - p. 15
----------------
Kaufman, Martha Fern Yutzy
Martha Fern Yutzy Kaufman, 89, of Goshen, Ind., died Aug. 26, 2018. She was born April 4, 1929, to Edward and Annie (Gingerich) Yoder in Arthur, Ill.
On Aug. 9, 1957, she married Daniel Yutzy in Illinois. He preceded her in death on Sept. 14, 1995. On July 6, 2002, she married Wilbur H. Kaufman.
She was a schoolteacher, homemaker and Avon Representative. She was a member of East Goshen Mennonite Church. She enjoyed quilting, bird watching and attending to her flowers. She loved and was dedicated to her family and church.
Survivors include her husband, Wilbur, of Goshen; two sons, Daniel Yutzy of Chicago and Philip (Christine) Yutzy of Harrisonburg, Va.; two daughters, Cheryl Burkhart of Bryan, Ohio, and Sandra (Kevin) Plank of Elkhart; stepsons Timothy (Elaine) Kaufman of Palm City, Fla., Thomas Kaufman of Grand Rapids, Mich., and twins Kerwin (Cheryl) Kaufman of Noblesville and Kevin (Barbara) Kaufman of Carmel; six grandchildren; 12 step-grandchildren and 11 step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Daniel; and nine siblings, Alta (Jerry) Yoder, Omer (Anna) Yoder, Irma (Rueben) Yoder, Chris (Katie Ann) Yoder, Fannie (Harvey) Stutzman, Katie (John) Showalter, Susan (Linus) Eash, Cora (Raymond) Schrock and Mary (Raymond) Kauffman.
Services were held at East Goshen Mennonite Church. Burial was in Miller Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to Taylor University-Daniel Yutzy Memorial Fund.
Mennonite World Review - September 24, 2018 - 96th Year No. 20 - p. 15
-------------------
Yoder, Lonabelle Christina Jantzi
Lonabelle Christina Yoder, 89, of Newton, Kan., died Sept. 2, 2018. She was born Jan. 1, 1929, to Michael and Alma (Zehr) Jantzi in Alden, N.Y.
She was baptized as a youth at Lowville Mennonite Church. She attended Eastern Mennonite High School and college at Eastern Mennonite and Goshen College.
She married James D. Yoder of Garden City, Mo., on Aug. 7, 1954.
She graduated from Goshen College in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in education. Later, she received her master’s degree in library science from Central Missouri State. She taught school for many years, beginning in Bristol, Ind., and 25 years as an elementary teacher in Hickman Mills District of south Kansas City, Mo., completing her professional years as a head librarian at Hickman Mills High School. She and her husband retired in Newton, Kan.
In retirement, she was a faithful member of Bethel College Mennonite Church, where she served on the library committee. She also served Mennonite Central Committee at Et Cetera Shop in Newton and sewed more than 1,000 book bags to donate for students through MCC. Prior to retirement, she was a member of Rainbow Mennonite Church of Kansas City. She always had a cheery disposition and a large, friendly smile she shared with everyone.
Survivors include her husband, James D. Yoder of Newton; a son, Michael Lynn (Karen Seibel) Yoder of Lawrence; a brother, Glendon Jantzi of Goshen, Ind.; a sister-in-law, Irene (Hershberger) Yoder of Hesston; and a granddaughter-in-law, Jamie Seibel of Phoenix.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Angela Maria; a brother, Donald Jantzi; and a brother-in-law, Alfred Yoder.
Memorial services were held at Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton. Memorial gifts in her name can be given to Kidron Bethel Benevolent Fund, Kidron Bethel Village, North Newton. The disposition of her ashes will be at Clearfork Cemetery near Sycamore Grove Mennonite Church in Case County, Mo., near the gravesite of her daughter Angela Maria.
---------------
Lapp, N. LeRoy
N. LeRoy Lapp, M.D., 86, of Morgantown, W.Va., died July 16, 2018. He was born May 16, 1932, to Norman B. Lapp and Mabel (Wismer) Lapp in Perkasie, Pa.
He graduated from Eastern Mennonite College in 1956, where he was class president and met his future wife, Catherine Alger. They were married on Aug. 25, 1956, in Broadway, Va. She preceded him in death in 2015.
He graduated from Temple Medical School, interned at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa., and completed a residency at the Mayo Clinic before moving to Morgantown, W.Va. He joined the West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1975 and held various teaching and leadership roles. He was an internationally known expert in occupational dust-related lung diseases. He taught hundreds of medical students, interns, residents and fellows over nearly 30 years as a faculty physician. He was recognized in 1994 with the N. LeRoy Lapp endowed professorship at WVU.
He was active with the Mennonite Medical Association, serving as president from 1973 to 1975.
He and his wife enjoyed singing with choral groups, reading and travel. In retirement, he enjoyed genealogy, attending medical events and volunteering with a dementia respite group.
Survivors include a son, Thomas (Christine McAllister) of Chadds Ford, Pa.; a daughter, Anne (Kevin Swisher) of Morgantown, W.Va.; a brother, Gordon Lapp of Philadelphia; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Catherine; two brothers, Stanley and Marvin; and two sisters, Margaret (Gerhardt) Reimer and Esther (Wayne) Kempf.
Memorial services were held at Suncrest United Methodist Church in Morgantown, W.Va. Inurnment was at Perkasie Mennonite Cemetery.
------------------
Weaver, Margaret Rose Martin
Margaret Rose Martin Weaver, 88, of Harrisonburg, Va., died Sept. 3, 2018, at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community Harman House. She was born to Perry and Annie Martin in Rockingham County.
She graduated from Rockingham Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and spent her professional career as a surgical nurse at Ephrata Community Hospital and as a psychiatric nurse at the Delaware State Hospital and the Governor Bacon Health Center. She capped her career in Delaware as a home visitation nurse for the State Hospital Outpatient Department. She continued her career in Baltimore as a school nurse for inner-city schools with the Federal Public Health Nurse. Following her husband to Pennsylvania, she finished her career in nursing at Pocopsin Nursing Facility.
She had the unique ability to listen to others without being judgmental; she helped many who sought her advice. She was a great asset to her husband, a university professor, by being a gracious hostess and opening her home to faculty and students. She cared for several foreign students who lived with the Weavers for extended periods. Perhaps her greatest asset was becoming a surrogate parent to her niece and nephew, Helen Martin Harman and Dwayne Martin, who were orphaned when her oldest brother and his wife died in an airplane accident.
Survivors include her husband, John M. Weaver; a brother, John R. Martin of Harrisonburg; a nephew, Dwayne (Patricia Hooley Martin) Martin of Harrisonburg, and their two children; and a niece, Helen Martin Harman of Fort Collins, Colo., and her two children.
A memorial service will be held Oct. 6 at VMRC Strite Auditorium. Memorial contributions may be made at the VMRC. Compassion Fund of Harrisonburg.
-----------------
Eby, Mary Jane Breneman
Mary Jane Breneman Eby, 84, died Aug. 16, 2018, at Mennonite Village in Albany, Ore. She was born Nov. 13, 1933, to Clyde and Mary (Oberholser) Breneman in Lancaster, Pa.
She has a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Goshen (Ind.) College. She worked as a nurse at University Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Emanuel Hospital, Portland.
She married Lawrence (Larry) Eby from Michigan on Aug. 17, 1957.
She and Larry and their family lived in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Portland; Abiriba, Nigeria; Aibonito, Puerto Rico; Millersburg, Ohio; and Siletz and Albany.
In addition to her nursing and homemaking careers, she served as youth minister for the Ohio Conference of the Mennonite Church for five years, and together with her husband, Larry, as co-administrator of Drift Creek Camp near Lincoln City and co-director of the Mennonite Village Foundation in Albany, each for five years. Never ordained, she was licensed for ministry by both Ohio and Pacific Northwest conferences.
In her various roles and all of her life, she often broke barriers and was an advocate for diverse groups of people and individuals. In the last days of life, individual expressions of gratitude were many and moving. Her last gift was donating her body to Western University of Health Sciences in Lebanon, Ore.
Survivors include her husband, Larry; six children, Doug of Anchorage, Alaska, Don, Jan and Suzette of Seattle, Wash., Tom of Portland and Karl of Douglas, Ariz.; a sister, Barbara Hurd; two brothers, Mervin and Paul; and nine grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her oldest sister, Verna Leaman.
A celebration of life for her and Larry was held at the time of their 60th wedding anniversary in August 2017. A service with family and a few close friends was held at the funeral home on the day after her death.
-------------
Isaak, Ruth
Ruth Isaak, 81, died Aug. 15, 2018, from Parkinson’s Disease at Living Care Nursing Home in Yakima, Wash. She was born March 29, 1937, to Peter and Eva Dirks Isaak in Aberdeen, Idaho.
She graduated from Aberdeen High School in 1955 and from Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., with an education degree. She taught school at Buhler (Kan.) High School for several years. She moved to Hutchinson, Kan., where she was a secretary in the Reno County Courthouse. Then she moved to Yakima, where she taught physical education in the Wapato School District on the Yakima Indian Reservation. She then worked for many years in the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.
She was an avid sports fan. When the family got together she would get the nieces and nephews together for a game of baseball. She enjoyed watching sports on TV and wouldn’t miss a Seattle Seahawks or Seattle Mariners game. She belonged to a bowling team in Yakima and made many friends in the league. She was secretary for the Yakima Bowling Association. She went to the National Bowling Association in Las Vegas as one of the representatives for the Yakima Association. One of her hobbies was stamp collecting, and she enjoyed playing Bingo at the Yakima Bingo Hall.
Survivors include a sister, Marge (Clint) Krehbiel; a brother, Irvin (Bernice) Isaak; five sisters-in-law, Dorothy (Elmer) Isaak, Shirley (Harold) Isaak, Beryl (Paul) Isaak, Edith (Roland) Isaak and Roz (Walter) Isaak; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Gertrude; seven brothers, Elmer, Arthur, Harold, Paul, William, Roland and Walter; and a sister-in-law, Marjorie (Arthur) Isaak.
There was a graveside service at Homestead Cemetery in Aberdeen, Idaho.
------------------
Brenneman, Orval E.
Orval E. Brenneman, 88, of Kalona, Iowa, died Aug. 23, 2018, at Pleasantview Home. He was born May 26, 1930, to Emery and Alice (Bender) Brenneman.
He attended Franklin rural school and graduated from Iowa Mennonite School. He spent two years in voluntary service in La Junta, Colo., where he met the love of his life, Norma Jean Showalter. They were married on Aug. 21, 1955, at the Mennonite Church of La Junta.
They made their home in rural Wellman in the house where he was born. He farmed and was a department manager at Sears for more than 30 years, retiring in 1996.
He was a member of First Mennonite Church of Iowa City, where he served on various committees. He volunteered at the Iowa MCC Sale and at Iowa Mennonite School. He enjoyed being with family and friends, playing with the grandchildren and reading the morning paper. He was an avid reader of history.
Survivors include his wife, Norma Jean; two sons, Robert (Kim)Brenneman of Harrisonburg, Va., and Jerold (Shelly) Brenneman of Viroqua, Wis.; a daughter, Ruth Ann (Galen Graber) Brenneman of Wellman; a sister, Nina B. Miller of Wellman; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a brother and sister-in-law, Willard and Ruth Brenneman; a sister and brother-in-law, LaFern and Ray Yoder; and a brother-in-law, Paul Miller.
Memorial services were held at First Mennonite Church in Iowa City. Burial was in West Union Cemetery. Memorial funds were established for Iowa Mennonite School and First Mennonite Church, Iowa City.